Tales of the Re:Code
by the mythologist
Summary: Because these badass ladies and gentlemen need some love too. Moving certain stories from Code:breaker compilations over here. Rating is T for now... Pairing is generally KoujixRui, although that's subject to change. Enjoy :D
1. Mortification and matching flasks

**Don't own that Code:breaker biznass, and you know it. **

**Tale from the Re:Code: Carrots and Mortification**

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Three weeks before Rui's defection, her flask of alcohol had been lost in battle, ultimately resulting in the single greatest moment of utter _mortification_ of her entire life. The loss in itself was nothing to be embarrassed about; disappointment, yes, but that ended quickly enough when Kouji (unasked) gave her a new one. The _event_ that she was sure she would never recover from stemmed in part from his gift, from Yukihina's ridiculous persistence, and the possibility that Kouji had gone temporarily mad; all of which resulting in how she would never be able to cook, eat, or look at carrots ever again. For the flask had started the entire fiasco: once Yukihina noticed that Kouji and Rui's flasks _matched_, he had asked if that meant that they were married.

Even Kouji had turned to stare at him with an amazed look on his normally all-knowing face, (Sagishimono's left eyebrow had quirked upwards at that, but nobody wanted to ask what _that_ meant) and Rui had absolutely exploded with embarrassment. Yukihina knew it would be dangerous to pursue the topic further (at the moment), but harbored his secret suspicion nonetheless. He could understand how they both simply liked to drink, and how the flask was an efficient and socially acceptable container, but the _matching_ bit was where he drew the line. In his mind, only married couples had matching anythings, and somehow, to him, their flasks seemed more indicative than any pair of wedding rings. Anyways, he hadn't seen either of them with anyone else. Of course, Rui engaging in romantic endeavors was a bit hard to imagine for obvious reasons, but Kouji was a different story. Sagishimono had found time for dalliances, so their lifestyle was no excuse. If they weren't married, why wasn't _Kouji_ exploring other options?

Yukihina decided, in an apathetic, detached sort of way, to investigate. His methods generally comprised of walking into their rooms at unexpected times, looking disappointed when they were either alone, not together, or when Rui was doing something…_domestic_ with Hiyori or Rei. His other method was to simply ask them, as baldly as ever, why they weren't together, didn't they want to be, and were they _sure_ they weren't just lying to him…?

After almost a week of Yukihina's badgering, Rui mastered her embarrassment long enough to field his questions. Kouji had long refused to say anything at all on the subject, much to Rui's discomfort and Sagishimono's amusement. He just sipped from the infernal flask that had started all this, and grinned at Rui, as if relishing her discomfort. Yukihina found that _highly_ suspicious.

"Yukihina, let me explain. Kouji and my flasks have nothing to do with…romantic feelings, of any nature. I mean, you could buy one too, and then we'd all match-"

"I don't drink. Not like you guys do. Also, three people can't be married to each other." He paused for a moment, thinking. "That would just be weird."

Rui groaned, and hid her face in her hands, struggling for composure. Kouji made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort of laughter, and Yukihina's eyes narrowed. Kouji _never_ made that noise. Clearly, he was onto something here.

He tried another tactic. "So Kouji…are you saying you're not married to Rui because she's not pretty enough? But you like her, don't you? I mean, you'd fight and die for her, right?"

Rui moaned pitifully into her hands, rapidly losing the battle against her embarrassment. Kouji's quick eyes took in all of this, and turned to leave without answering the question. The over-the-shoulder-nod he directed in Yukihina's general vicinity may or may not have been in answer to either of his questions, or simply his way of saying goodbye. Yukihina never got the chance to decide which was the case, because her embarrassment finally getting the better of her, Rui subsequently headbutted him into unconsciousness.

* * *

"I saw other women looking at Kouji the other day. You should stop them. Because he's your husband."

Rui paused, knife in hand, half-chopped carrots on the cutting board at her waist. Normally, this sort of comment would bring the blood to her face so fast she'd hardly think of her actions, but after two and a half weeks of solid pestering, she was ready to face the problem head on. After all, she had to find some way of getting Yukihina to _stop._ "Yukihina, he's not my husband."

Yukihina stared at her impassively. Silently. Patiently, as if he stared at her long enough, she might at last be induced to change her mind.

Rui growled softly.

Yukihina's silent onslaught continued.

"Look, we can't possibly be married. Think about how we live our lives!"

"You guys are always together. And do the same things too. Married people do that."

"We couldn't have a family like this!"

"What are Hiyori and Rei then?" _And me_, he silently added. One of the driving forces behind his marital suspicions was that he could somehow be their child. Through adoption or something. He kind of liked the idea, in a passive sort of way.

"They aren't…that's different…look, they don't count." Rui decided to turn the tables on Yukihina, just to see if that would finally end it. "Alright, if Kouji and I are…_married…_" She ground out, breathing deeply to keep the flush away from her face, "why don't we act like it?"

Yukihina stared at her in utter incomprehension. "What."

Rui sighed. "You know, why don't we behave like we're…married." Thankfully, it was becoming easier to say each time. "Why don't we hold hands, or take missions together without you, or…k-k-kiss?" She ended, stuttering, far too embarrassed to mention any other _activities_ married couples generally undertook.

Yukihina's stone face never wavered. "Because you'd headbutt him."

"Not if we were married."

Comprehension, at long last, dawned. Looking as animated as she'd ever seen him (and that wasn't saying much) he pounded a fist into his palm, a physical eureka. "Ohhhhh. So _that's_ it. Well, that's easy to fix."

Rui looked at him, hesitantly, worriedly. "_What's_ easy to fix?"

Yukihina smiled distantly. "Your not-marriage. With Kouji. That'll be easy."

Rui very carefully set down the knife.

Yukihina continued smiling, as if looking at something only he could see. "Yep. Hiyori can be the one with the flowers, and Rei can be the one with the ring. Sagishimono can walk you up the long walk thing, and I'll be the one with the big book." He looked down for a moment. "And you'll be there, in the dress, or Kouji will, either way is fine. Well, maybe not Kouji." He cocked his head to the side. On second thought, maybe it was _easier_ to imagine Kouji in a dress…

Yukihina was violently headbutted for the second time in under two weeks, and he hazily marveled at the blood-colored stars as he fell to the floor, and into darkness.

Rui turned back to the cutting board, hand pressed to her lips. She was so focused on bringing herself to a semblance of normalcy that she didn't hear the quiet footsteps or notice a friendly presence until she felt the hand on her shoulder. Yelping, she spun about, brandishing the knife at the intruder. Kouji smirked, and manipulating the air around her hand, gently twisted the knife from her fingers, and laid it down on the cutting board. He looked down at the unconscious Yukihina, eyebrows quirking eloquently. Rui huffed and turned back to the carrots, yet didn't pick up the knife. She was embarrassed enough that Kouji had caught her at something domestic, although that had curiously never bothered her as much as it did with everyone else. Something about Kouji was so calming, so masculine yet unthreatening that she didn't mind appearing slightly feminine in front of him. Still, it had been a trying day, and she wasn't at her best. When it became obvious he wasn't going to simply leave her to dinner, she turned back to him, slightly exasperated. "Well, I finally convinced him we weren't …married, but-"

"Did it bother you so much?"

Rui stared at him blankly, trying to wrap her mind around his utterly unexpected words.

"I mean, his teasing. Was it so awful?" Utterly at ease, Kouji took a swig from the flask, and laid it down next to the knife, taking the opportunity to lean in closer to Rui.

Rui sputtered, feeling the blood rush to her face yet again. God, how many times a day could that happen without a negative effect on her health? Could an excess of embarrassment _kill_ her?

"I should hope there is nothing too terrible about the thought of being next to me. There's certainly nothing so terrible about you. After all, are you not my precious comrade, who, as Yukihina so succinctly put it, I would fight and die for?" _And who I strive to look so damn cool for, _he thought to himself. Rui would never know how uncollected he could feel sometimes. When he was with her it was easier, and so much more important to seem wise and together, a fount of wisdom who delivered in only the most epic of ways.

The part of her brain that was devoted to logical thought shut down at this unexpected declaration, and Rui reverted, once again, to headbutt mode. Kouji recognized the danger a moment before it happened, and put a gentle hand to her cheek, stopping her movement with either his power, or the sheer shock of his action, Rui couldn't tell. He leaned in closer, his sharp, earnest eyes piercing her wide ones; his whisky-tainted breath whispering not unpleasantly against her cheek

"Am I so terrible?" He whispered, knowing he had irrevocably crossed the line, yet was unable to pull back now. He had heard Rui and Yukihina's conversation, and not once had she mentioned her (lack of) feelings for him. This was important; if she _didn't_ have feelings for him, the most rational course of action would be to mention that immediately. Of course, that conclusively meant nothing – it might be a topic too emotional for her to touch upon. Yet he hoped not. He prayed not.

"Rui." He voice was huskier now, and his long fingers had shifted from cupping her face to tracing her features. He could feel the control he had lauded himself on slipping away, especially when Rui closed her eyes, and the color faded slightly from her cheeks. "Rui," he breathed, leaning in closer, his own eyes flicking shut.

Rui had stared up at him in a mixture of terror, confusion, and some other insane emotion she was normally too sane to put a name to. Kouji was here…touching her face…murmuring in a _damn_ sexy voice and instead of overloading her propriety and driving her to mindless violence, it was overloading her senses and all she could do was stay as still as she could and hope it would stop, hope it would not, pray he would leave and pray that he would keep on mastering this situation and never, ever go away. Of course he wasn't terrible. She looked up to him, admired his strength and his wisdom, and respected him almost as much as she respected Sagishimono. On the battlefield he was both terrible and beautiful– his flowing, disciplined form so at odds with his insane exultation, his scarred eyes alight with the magnificence of death. There had been times, late at night, when she had awoken from dreams of him; filled with the thought of him, the vision of him, that had thought she would break if she didn't see him _right that instant_ with her waking eyes. He was asking if _she_ thought _he _was terrible? Did he not know how she felt around him? _She_ didn't know, exactly, but she thought Kouji would. After all, he was a walking, sexy Buddha, one she trusted implicitly…

He murmured her name, and against her will her eyes fluttered shut. She couldn't help it – her body was reacting to his, after years of harsh denial, and even her mind had argued itself into a corner. She trusted him, admitted it, and acknowledged him to be more informed and in control of the situation. With a body so willing, and a mind so unable to deny herself this exquisite experience, what else was she to do?

Answer: tilt her head welcomingly, and nearly swoon at the sensation of his breath upon her lips, little suspecting that her proximity could invoke similar powerful emotions in him.

"Rui-san?"

His lips had barely brushed against hers, their warmth and texture leaving him with nothing but the desire to deepen the delicate kiss before Hiyori's voice broke the moment. As soon as she walked into the kitchen, she squeaked and ran back out again but it was too late. They had been _seen._

Chagrined, Kouji pulled back slowly, relying on her shock and his power over the air between them to keep him from following Yukihina into oblivion. He smiled gently, helplessly as he rubbed his nose against hers, prolonging the moment. Yet he could feel her embarrassment building, and knew that her anxiety would soon be too much for even he to contain. As suddenly as he had come he pulled away, pulling his flask to him on invisible wind currents, serious eyes never leaving her face. "I know it's impossible to ask," he murmured, turning away from her yet still speaking quietly enough so that Hiyori couldn't overhear. He nimbly stepped over Yukihina, and lifted him with his power so that he trailed after him like a ghost. "But someday…Rui. My comrade. I'll convince you regardless."

He walked away from her then, not knowing that this was to be their last few days together before several years apart. He walked on, giving Hiyori an uncharacteristically stern glance as he walked past, as if to say _don't you dare bother her about this. _He dropped Yukihina off on his bed, too involved in his regrets and reflections to notice how Yukihina's breathing patterns had changed.

As soon as he heard the door shut firmly, Yukihina allowed himself a small smile.

Kouji had kissed Rui (finally).

Kouji had _not_ been subjected to one of Rui's headbutts.

Therefore.

They were married.

_He knew it._

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**Ohhh Kouji, you and your posturing. When you were busy telling Rui about the code:name in his school, all we could pay attention to was that weird **_**hip**_** thing you were doing. And how you're a freaking epic wisdom dispenser. I mean, I'll get sick of it eventually but if Rui doesn't mind…And yes, I know they're not specifically canon, but they have certainly taken my fancy. **

**As has Yukihina. It is official, he is my new favorite character to write. **

**Review, all ye lurkers. Say things to me, like hi; how are you; this is what you did that I'm kinda likin' and this is what you can do better. You know. Good stuff(s). **


	2. Emo Snow

In honor of my second favorite Code:breaker pairing - Kouji/Rui. Go read Chapter 73. Go. GOOOOOOOO.

Also, I don't own Code:breakers. Please.

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Walking away from him broke her heart, but she put one foot in front of the other, and never looked back. She tried to focus on the snowflakes melting on her eyelashes, but all she could think about was the broad stretch of his back, firmly turned towards her. All the things she could not say. All the things she prayed he knew.

_Don't lose,_ she had begged him. He had assured her. _I will never lose to anyone._ She hadn't said the words she really meant, but losing so often meant death, and he must know what she meant. Don't lose, don't die, and I love you. They were all the same thing, when you boiled it down. And maybe his purposeful acquiescence meant he felt the same. He would stay by Sagishimono, and she both understood and respected his decision. Someone needed to stay by him, for Rei's defection had done more damage than he could have ever guessed, and although she too was leaving him, it wasn't because she had lost her respect for him. She simply had no choice.

Yet oh gods, she didn't want to leave Kouji. He was so calm and steady, with a respect for life that was so rare among their kind. Yet so graceful and deadly on the battlefield…he was a pleasure to watch, to know, to live and to fight with. If they weren't what they were, death seekers to the end, she would have considered herself blessed to spend the rest of her life with him. She had recognized and appreciated both sides of his beautiful psyche, and it was almost physical pain to leave it behind.

As she walked through the snow to her new life, Rui let her heart break. Just a little. She would need all her concentration and strength to protect what must be kept safe, but this transitory snow would bear testament to her pain. Tomorrow, the memory of his dark eyes would not make her heart quiver, and neither would the reassuring cadence of his smooth voice. Yet tonight…tonight she would cry herself to sleep, thinking of the warmth of Kouji's arms, gaze, and heart.

She wished she could have kissed his scar, just once.

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Now, I don't know if it's just me, but I _love_ the Kouji/Rui bits. I mean, dang. They're older, and he looks a bit like Kyo from SDK (I about had a heart attack when he finally showed up…I mean, who wasn't waiting for the Kyo look-alike?) and he's oh so sexy when he kicked Toki's ass (although I love Toki too, so their entire interaction was like my birthday came for 4 chapters in a row).

Also, I'm pretty sure she didn't leave _after_ Ogami, but as we still don't know what it is she has to protect and when she actually left, here is one idea.


	3. Despair, twin of desire

Mmmmm more Kouji/Rui love. Oh Kouji, you naughty boy…

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No one else even noticed anything was wrong, but Kouji knew her better than that. He knew there had to be a reason for her domestic upsurge, her refusal to leave Hiyori alone, and studied avoidance of him. He was no fool. He could see the way her eyes lingered on everyone and everything, taking a mental stock of their home, memorizing their faces so as to keep them in her heart. He knew what she was doing. She was saying goodbye.

It was their last night in Hokkaido. Hiyori and Rei were sleeping, Sagishimono was plotting, and Yukihina was intoxicated. This was only to be expected: Rui had attempted to drink the both of them under the table as soon as she put Hiyori and Rei to bed, and Sagishimono, as always, refused to join them. The three of them had a bond, and although they were devoted to him, he usually let them be. Perhaps for good reason. Rui had an amazing capacity for drink – a trait that Kouji had learned to heartily respect – but tonight he would not be taken in by it. While Yukihina foolishly matched her drink for drink, Kouji drank only when he wanted, and spent the remainder of his time fixing a smoldering glare on the beautiful woman sitting next to him. Not surprisingly, Rui was helpless against such a powerful reminder of masculine virility, and in order to fight off embarrassment, focused her attention on getting Yukihina drunk. She had realized Kouji was not going to be put off, and like Sagishimono, he must know.

The onslaught began directly after Yukihina tottered off into the house, yarbling on about toothpaste.

"Rui." Kouji turned to her and casually laid his hand on top of hers, overcoming his instinct that berated him for even thinking of touching her. He knew everything about his extremely tremulous Rui, and such a move at the outset was dangerous, yet it must be done. She must know he was absolutely serious. "Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?"

Rui looked over wildly, consternation in her gaze. Yet she did not remove her hand. "Kouji, I..." She had her reasons, damn _good_ reasons, yet the look in his eyes made it impossible to even remember them, let alone formulate coherent sentences. This was precisely the reason she hadn't told him – because when it came down to it, she didn't think she _could._

So she resorted to the most desperate of measures. Pleading. Her face softened as her gaze turned to liquid. "Kouji, please…" She let her eyes say everything her mouth could not, and hoped he would understand, as he always had before.

Kouji felt the hot sweep of lust surge throughout his stomach, and unconsciously moved closer to her, which only made the attraction more potent. He knew she had to go, could even hazard a guess as to why and where, but right now his mind, heart, and body were united in a single sentiment: don't let her go.

Rui's body knew the situation had changed, although her mind still valiantly attempted to form a response to Kouji's questions. The deep dark of his eyes caused her own pupils to dilate, and without realizing it her body positioned itself into the yin of Kouji's yang – his body was dominant and aggressive, laced with tension and power, while hers was yielding, softer, and accepting, even swathed as it was in all that leather. Desire was fast stirring in her blood, and her eyes were hopelessly fixated on Kouji's face. Maybe it was the alcohol, or the fact that she was leaving, but she couldn't stop looking at his eyes, his nose, his cheekbones. His scar. His lips. God she wanted them. God she wanted him.

"Kouji, I have to…please." He had shifted closer to her and Rui found that her hands were skimming over his forearms, his biceps, his shoulders. She was numbly aware that breathing had become difficult, and with every attempt her chest rose and fell hypnotically. She could feel his hands at her back, gripping her tightly, pulling her closer to him. Now that they were touching it was only a matter of time. She was so close – her thumbs found his face, grazed his cheekbones, and she whispered one last time before their mouths came together.

"Kouji, please…"

Their mouths came together for the first time and Kouji knew why he had waited years – eschewing all other women - for just this moment. While their lips brushed and separated and melded together, he made himself forget she was leaving, so he could devote himself to this experience. He could taste her desperation and the raw emotional power of the kiss, yet he could tell that she did not really know how to kiss. Not like this, passionately and as a potential precursor to sex. So he took charge. His lips slid over and under hers leaving her no time or inclination to muddle matters with her tongue, and he pulled her firmly into his lap, where he then began to explore her ribcage, her back, and tenderly, her face. He felt her hands roam sporadically over his upper body, yet she primarily focused on his face, and her smooth caresses on his cheeks and through his flyaway hair felt like the redemption of God himself. He muffled a groan as she shifted again and was now straddling him. His hands found the round curve of her ass just as she discovered the foreign feel of his manhood pressing up against her, and both knew it was time for a slight détente. Emotionally charged as the moment was, Rui was simply not a woman to take this experience in stride. They drew back slightly, whispering to each other. Yet their breathy confessions could not keep the kisses away, as neither of them could pull back from the power of the moment.

"Kouji, I have to," Rui whispered as she traced the curve of his upper lip with her own. "Please, you know-" she grazed her lips against his again, and at this Kouji tilted his face up to snag her lower lip, pulling it gently between his teeth. Rui moaned, and continued. "…you know I don't want to leave you."

"I know." The affirmation came from deep in his chest, and Rui could feel the rumble of it on her stomach even as his lips along her jaw made her tingle. God his touches made her want to simultaneously blush and moan; the desire was such an alien, terrifying feeling, yet she instinctively wanted to get closer to him.

Kouji pulled her close again to kiss her deeply, and for a moment it seemed that all control would be lost. He couldn't let her go. The longer he touched her the less sense it made for him to ever let go of her, and the way she was responding, he would assume she agreed. Sentiments bubbled up his throat: _Don't go, _and _love me tonight,_ and _let me come with you._ Yet all of these were – well, perhaps excepting the second – impossible. He would stay with Sagishimono. He was his friend, and although Rui was the love of his life, he needed to stay with him. And of course he couldn't force Rui to stay with him by the brunt of his own emotions. She too had things she needed to protect, and that was one of the things he loved the most about her. He loved all their differences. He loved everything about her.

He parted his lips to tell her, but the world started to slip apart before he could utter those all important words. As he stared in pained amazement Rui melted into a pile of snow that when he attempted to embrace it, swirled about and joined the onslaught from the heavens. He stretched out his arms to try and catch the flakes, completely forgetting about his special power, but the sound of footsteps behind him distracted him. He tried not to turn, desperate to somehow bring Rui back to him, but the force compelling him was inexplicable and too strong to fight against.

As he slowly, oh so slowly turned, the world changed again. The skies ran together against the horizon, bloodying the campsite and muddying Kouji's mind. Stirrings of familiarity jump-started logical cognitive processes – this was wrong. This wasn't real. It was close to truth, yet close like an old photograph; faded and imperfect, a likeness of reality yet no longer a part of the moment. These abstract musings opened the door to comprehension, and before he could finish his never-ending turn he awoke.

Regret burned against the back of his eyelids, propelling him into wakefulness. He had had the dream many times now since Rui had left, and nothing ever changed. The encounter, the desire, the descent into the surreality of dreams…and of course, upon waking, the regret. Parts of the dream were true. Her last night with them, Rui had tricked Yukihina into intoxication, and left without saying goodbye to Rei and Hiyori. He had asked her why she hadn't told him that she was leaving. Yet in his memories, they had not kissed – she had merely begged him never to lose, and he had given her his word. The moment had been too much for his (and he thought hers) feelings to take charge. The encounter had carried with it the weight of futility and despair, and although his entire body had cried out for hers, he had not taken the step. She would have reacted badly, no matter her feelings. Her violent modesty would have won out, and even if it hadn't, she would have taken his approach for a trick to keep her there. He knew it was the right thing, to have said their quiet, emotional goodbyes without even a last embrace. Yet now, the possibility of their unvoiced love haunted him, and it made him foolish. Just yesterday he had wandered close to the Shibuya mansion, ostensibly following Yukihina on a walk. He could tell his explanation hadn't fooled Yukihina, but as Yuki had never noticed the bond between Rui and Kouji, Kouji would not explain further. It had all been for nothing, anyways. He had fought with a code:breaker, and Rui hadn't even been there.

Kouji turned onto his left side, obscuring his scar. He never had the dream more than once a week, and knew when he fell back asleep, it would be into Rui-less dreams. He shut his eyes, falling back into slumber with the same desire he always did – that tonight would be the night to prove the pattern wrong, and he would see her again.

* * *

Please. Both you and I know that Kouji is incredibly sexy, and he's so torn up about Rui's absence. I mean, really. Look at that face he made when he recalled his promise (ch. 73). And Rui goes on about how she'll kill them all if she needs to (to Hiyori as they fight) but really. She's not gonna' kill Kouji. Or even fight him. Hopefully.


End file.
